NHL Vegas wants to buy AHL team and move it to LV

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LadyStanley

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The Orleans (resort/casino) is where the ECHL Thunder/Wranglers played.


Less than 1.5 miles between where VGK plays and Orleans. (Guessing they would practice in same facility as VGK.)


Definitely easier call ups. And would create better footprint with Tucson, Palm Springs, Ontario, etc.
 

Centrum Hockey

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The Orleans (resort/casino) is where the ECHL Thunder/Wranglers played.


Less than 1.5 miles between where VGK plays and Orleans. (Guessing they would practice in same facility as VGK.)


Definitely easier call ups. And would create better footprint with Tucson, Palm Springs, Ontario, etc.

The wolves have such a strong legacy in IL for being anti dollar bill wirtz.I excepted the knights to go west but I thought they would find another team to affiliate with the wolves.
 

LadyStanley

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Maybe they'll do a deal with Rockford and NHL Chicago affiliates with AHL Wolves? (Then Rockford to Vegas)
 

Centrum Hockey

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One other scenario that makes sense is peter holt’s ex wife sells the rampage to VGK and the blues affiliate with Rockford and the Blackhawks with the wolves.
 
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JMCx4

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OR ... the AHL BOGs dedicate their entire 2020 spring meeting to loading up a bingo hopper with 31 balls and redistributing all of their franchises according to a series of random tumbles. Refreshments & light hors d'oeuvres will be served in the lobby. :whatever:
 
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Cyclones Rock

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The Orleans (resort/casino) is where the ECHL Thunder/Wranglers played.


Less than 1.5 miles between where VGK plays and Orleans. (Guessing they would practice in same facility as VGK.)


Definitely easier call ups. And would create better footprint with Tucson, Palm Springs, Ontario, etc.


For this to happen, The Orleans would have to have changed their tune about hockey given that they basically killed the Wranglers. Given the success of the Knights, I could easily see this happening. There might be nice annual profit on a Vegas-based AHL team given how crazy the market has gone for the Knights.
 
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210

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Does ANYONE believe the AHL would let one of their top teams in attendance and revenue move to a city with an NHL team? That experiment in San Jose ain't doing well, so why would the AHL take such a high risk, low reward gamble by moving the Wolves?

Yes, because as long as the money owed to the AHL is paid and every letter of the CBA with the PHPA is followed the AHL absolutely doesn't care where a team plays.
 

GrGriffins

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Does ANYONE believe the AHL would let one of their top teams in attendance and revenue move to a city with an NHL team? That experiment in San Jose ain't doing well, so why would the AHL take such a high risk, low reward gamble by moving the Wolves?

First of all, Levin is the majority owner the Chicago Wolves, not Vegas. In order for this move to take place, Vegas would have to send a boat load of money to Levin in order for him to sell the Wolves to Vegas and moved them there. I do not see this happening.

Even if this ever did take place, the AHL is not going to care less if the NHL team moves their AHL affiliate in their own backyard. As long as Vegas pays their annual AHL dues every season, that is all the AHL is concerned about. Any financial losses that Vegas occurs in their AHL team would be written off as a tax write off.

I'm sure Axe & Tommy Hawk would have more insight on this since they are Wolves season ticket holders and follow the team better than all of us here put together.
 
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JMCx4

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... I'm sure Axe & Tommy Hawk would have more insight on this since they are Wolves season ticket holders and follow the team better than all of us here put together.
So we should be axin' Axe what's shakin' with this? ;)
 
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Centrum Hockey

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First of all, Levin is the majority owner the Chicago Wolves, not Vegas. In order for this move to take place, Vegas would have to send a boat load of money to Levin in order for him to sell the Wolves to Vegas and moved them there. I do not see this happening.

Even if this ever did take place, the AHL is not going to care less if the NHL team moves their AHL affiliate in their own backyard. As long as Vegas pays their annual AHL dues every season, that is all the AHL is concerned about. Any financial losses that Vegas occurs in their AHL team would be written off as a tax write off.

I'm sure Axe & Tommy Hawk would have more insight on this since they are Wolves season ticket holders and follow the team better than all of us here put together.
Even if he refuses to sell the AHL can just threaten to give the VGK an expansion team and tell levin to find another affiliate within the timeframe allowed or sell to the VGK ownership group.
 

GrGriffins

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Even if he refuses to sell the AHL can just threaten to give the VGK an expansion team and tell levin to find another affiliate within the timeframe allowed or sell to the VGK group.

No they can not. I believe the AHL & NHL agreed that the AHL and NHL have the 1 team/1 AHL team ratio. The only way the AHL would give another AHL team if the NHL expands and that might not happen for a few years and Seattle has exercised their AHL farm team in Palm Springs, CA a couple of weeks ago. If Levin does not sell the Wolves to Vegas, then Vegas would have to approach another existing AHL team that is not owned by an NHL team and buy them out.
 
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LadyStanley

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AHL San Jose is not a "failure" (by the NHL Sharks' definition). They've made the playoffs every year they've been in San Jose.

Now, it may not make a profit, but it is an acceptable expense (for the guy(s) paying the bills).
 

GindyDraws

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Rockford IceHogs - Wikipedia The city of Rockford apparently owns the icehogs so maybe Vegas Could buy the team from them and buyout the remainder of the lease in exchange for an early exit.

That would present quite a few problems. In addition to the city of Rockford, Illinois owning the IceHogs team, they're affiliated with the Chicago Blackhawks, so even if it's just to move the IceHogs to Rosemont to replace the Wolves, that would involve talking to the 'Hawks and see what they would want, and that may see them not even want an affiliate in Chicago if Rockford is off the table. Maybe they'd like to transfer the rights to Indianapolis, where the Indy Fuel would be promoted to the AHL level, or something of that nature? Or, even a whole other city? Who knows.

Plus, as another user pointed out, there is the matter of the Stockton Heat lease situation and how the Flames will just move the affiliate wherever there's an open seat.

Also... we're talking about the Orleans Arena. When I joined this forum, that was the talk in the ECHL as the Las Vegas Wranglers were pushed out of the Orleans Arena and the team was desperate to stay around that they considered playing on the roof of a hotel and even in a parking lot. How the heck would this be any different, just because the Golden Knights came to town? If the Orleans Casino didn't want to deal with at least 34 dates and constantly changing ice for other events, how will they budge this time?
 

Centrum Hockey

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That would present quite a few problems. In addition to the city of Rockford, Illinois owning the IceHogs team, they're affiliated with the Chicago Blackhawks, so even if it's just to move the IceHogs to Rosemont to replace the Wolves, that would involve talking to the 'Hawks and see what they would want, and that may see them not even want an affiliate in Chicago if Rockford is off the table. Maybe they'd like to transfer the rights to Indianapolis, where the Indy Fuel would be promoted to the AHL level, or something of that nature? Or, even a whole other city? Who knows.

Plus, as another user pointed out, there is the matter of the Stockton Heat lease situation and how the Flames will just move the affiliate wherever there's an open seat.

Also... we're talking about the Orleans Arena. When I joined this forum, that was the talk in the ECHL as the Las Vegas Wranglers were pushed out of the Orleans Arena and the team was desperate to stay around that they considered playing on the roof of a hotel and even in a parking lot. How the heck would this be any different, just because the Golden Knights came to town? If the Orleans Casino didn't want to deal with at least 34 dates and constantly changing ice for other events, how will they budge this time?
Would the other pacific teams have a problem. If the flames move their affiliate that far east to Rosemont or Rockford and go back to playing 76 games they didn't even allow the Texas teams to play a reduced schedule when they where in the pacific for 3 seasons.
 

AdmiralsFan24

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I too love rumors from random shitty twitter accounts and if you don't think that twitter account is shit then I suggest scrolling through it for a couple of minutes.
 

GrGriffins

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ECHL for Vegas would be more likely if it happens at all. AHL team, not at all. Person making this stuff up just to get attention and to get the Golden Knights base going.
 

DudeWhereIsMakar

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That would be extremely hard to do consdering the Wolves are independently owned. I think the Chicago Wolves never leave Chicago unless they were to lose tons of money. But what'd be more likely right now is if Vegas left their lease and another NHL team took over, only ones I see being possible are either Seattle (despite the fact Palm Springs is already their affiliate) or New Jersey.

The Wolves and Vegas are one that should be together a very long time considering Vegas and Chicago have tons of flights going both ways. But I think the success of hockey in Las Vegas is what'll change it. But if AHL goes anywhere I'd think either Reno or Salt Lake City.

ECHL is much more likely for Las Vegas.
 

LadyStanley

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Seattle will own Palm Springs affiliate.

Either VGK buys another independent affiliate, or they somehow convince Wolves owner to sell.

Writing in the wall is that most affiliates will be parent owned.
 
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